Spirit Airlines, the third-largest commercial carrier at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, has announced plans to furlough 393 Las Vegas-based flight attendants. The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice with the state of Nevada, stating that the furloughs—anticipated to be temporary—could start on December 1 or within 14 days thereafter.
The WARN Act mandates that employers with over 100 full-time workers provide 60 days’ advance written notice of significant layoffs or closures to employees, their union representatives, and the state’s dislocated worker unit, which in Nevada is the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
Spirit’s flight attendants are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants union. According to the WARN notice, the duration of the furloughs is uncertain and will be governed by the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement, which includes details about employee rights during furloughs.
The airline continues to face financial and operational challenges. Spirit is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has seen a sharp decline in passenger traffic at Harry Reid International. As of August, passenger counts had dropped by 46.3 percent compared to the previous year. Spirit previously filed for bankruptcy in November 2024 after a failed merger with JetBlue Airways, emerged in March, and then refiled for bankruptcy in August. Since the beginning of 2025, total passenger traffic has been down 32 percent to 3.6 million.
Despite the reorganization, Spirit Airlines is still selling tickets and honoring loyalty points, though it has eliminated several routes as part of its restructuring efforts. Passengers can continue to use existing tickets and points, but should monitor for updates on potential route changes.